Ear muff



J. JACOBS EAR MUFF Filed May 10, 1937 INVENTOR ATTORNEY f/ @co-Bs Patented Dec. 26, 1939 UNITED STATES `EAR MUFF

Joseph Jacobs, Bridgeport, Conn., assigner to The A. J. Donahue Corporation, MilfortLConn., `a

corporation of Connecticut Application May 10, 1937, Serial No. 141,643

l Claim.

This invention relates to improvements in ear muffs and has for one of its objects to provide an improved muil" of simple and practical construction which will more readily maintain its adjusted position on the ear and snugly fit the same so that the maximum warmth may be obtained from the use of the muil?.

The above and other objects will appear more clearly from the following detailed 'description when taken in connection with the accompanying drawing which illustrates a preferred form of the inventive idea.

In the drawing- Figure 1 is a perspective View of a pair of ear muifs and the connecting means therefor constructed in accordance with the invention.

Figure 2 is an interior plan View of one of the muffs, partly broken away and shown in section.

Figure 3 is a Vertical longitudinal section through the muff.

Figure 4 isa plan view of the body of the muff and its backing member, before assembly of the other elements of the muif, and,

Figure 5 is a plan view of a supporting frame and inner lining for the body of the muff.

Referring more particularly to Figure 1, the invention is shown as comprising a pair of mufs generally indicated by the numeral 6 and joined by the `usual type of support consisting of two bowed head bands 'I of resilient material which extend over the head and contract to snugly maintain the muffs 6 against the ears. Adjacent ends of the bands 'I overlap and each carries a clip 8 at its extremity through which the other band extends so that the two bands may be adjusted relative to each other to vary the effective length of the support. The other ends of the bands l are connected to the muffs 6 in a manner which will appear in the course of the description. I

The muffs 6 are of identical construction and each is shown as comprising a body 9 which may be made of any desirable material such as animal fur with its hide or skin base I0. In the making of the muis, the body 9 is cut to substantially oval shape so as to conform generally to the contour of the ear and the periphery of the base I0 has stitched or otherwise secured thereto, as indicated at II, one edge of a backing member generally indicated by the numeral I2. This member is formed from an elongated strip of suitable material such as felt or the like and before its application to the body 9 the strip is folded longitudinally upon itself to provide two layers of material. The free edges of the strip are then stitched to the base I around its edge, with the ends I3 of the strip (Figure 4) separated to admit of the introduction of a draw string Ill between the folds of the strip and extending around the inner or folded edge thereof. This draw string I4 may be placed in position between the folds of the strip I2 before it is stitchedv to the body or the same may be drawn through said strip after the stitching II has been applied. Whenv the backing strip has been attached to the body the former is folded over to substantially the position shown in Figures 3 and 4 and. in such positions the edge of the body is turned inwardly as indicated at. I5 to provide a recess for the reception of a supporting frame generally indicated by the numeral IS, and said backing strip combines with the body to form a pocket I'I with the inner folded edge of the strip dening a restricted opening I8 of substantially the size of an ear so that the latter may be recessed in the pocket when the muff is in position.

When the body and backing therefor have beenassembled and positioned as in Figure 4, the supportingv member I6 is inserted through the opening I3 and positioned, as in Figure 3, in the recess in the rear of the body 9. Said supporting member is preferably in the form of a wire frame Ill bent to conform tothe contour of the body and of a size to engage the peripheral portion of said body and thereby maintain it in proper shape. Extending over the frame is a sheet of suitable material, such as felt or wool, which constitutesl a lining 20 for the base I0 and an interior wall for the pocket Il so that the ear will not come in direct contact with said base. With the supporting member I6 positioned within the muif as described, the projecting extremities of the draw string I4 are pulled together and tied so that the ends I3 of the backing strip will be drawn together with the entire strip now extended inwardly from the peripheral edge of the body and in position to prevent accidental dislodgement of the supporting frame I6 from its position within the muff. -At the time that the support I6 is placed within the muff the extremities of the wire frame I9 (Figure 5), which carry the connecting plate 2l to which the ends of the bands 'I are joined, are positioned directly beneath the ends I3 of the backing strip I2, so that when the draw string I4 is pulled and tied the portions of the strip adjacent said ends I3 will over-lie the bent 55 5 Same.

ends of said Wire frame. The end portions of the Wire frame are bent inwardly as indicated at 22 and may be soldered together to Y make the frame rigid at this point, and the extremities 23 of the wire are diverged from the portions 22 and aligned with each other to receive the ears 24 formed at the inner ends of the connecting plate 2I, thus providing a pivotal mounting for said plate. After the backing strip has 10 been drawn to cover the ends of the frame I9,

the connecting plate 2I is swung from the po-l of the two ear mufs to adjacent ends of the .bands 1.

What is claimed is:

In an ear muif, a exible body, a supporting frame encased therein and unattached thereto, a lining for the inner surface of said body carried by said frame, a exible backing for said body combining therewith to form a pocket and ycomprising a strip of material folded longitudinally upon itself with the free edges of the strip secured to the periphery of said body, and a draw string disposed between the` folds of said strip and engaging in the fold of the material thereof to maintain the backing in cooperative relation to said body.

JOSEPH JACOBS. 

